Victoria Cristancho-Lacroix*, Broca Hospital and Paris Descartes University, Paris, France Jérémy Wrobel, Broca Hospital, Paris, France Mélanie Cornuet, Broca Hospital, Paris, France Anne-Sophie Rigaud, Broca Hospital and Paris Descartes University, Paris, France Track: Research Presentation Topic: Mobile & Tablet Health Applications Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2013-09-25

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Background. Internet-based psycho-educational programs represent an efficient alternative to face-to-face interventions. The participation in these web-based programs has been associated to the improvement of stress levels, perceived social support, and depression symptoms in dementia caregivers. However, despite the benefits observed, several studies have shown a low adoption of these programs, and usage models insist that meeting users’ needs in a health program is a capital factor to promote their adoption.
Diapason is a pilot version of a psycho-educational website, inspired by a face-to-face program from Broca Hospital (AIDMA program). This program was assessed in a previous study including 167 dyads “patient-caregiver” and showed a significant improvement in both disease understanding and ability to cope with care-recipients disease.
In order to improve and adapt Diapason program to the expectations and needs of family caregivers, we have designed a qualitative study using methodological triangulation techniques.

Methodology. In this preliminary study, three focus groups (FG) were conducted with eleven informal caregivers (children and spouses), and two FG with fifteen health professionals. All participants (n=26) were recruited through the memory Clinic of Broca Hospital. They already had visited the Diapason website before the FG and accepted and signed the study consent. Family caregivers expressed their opinion on: a) immediate needs after receiving the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis, b) current needs, and c) user’s suggestions to improve the content of the website. Health professionals participating in the FG gave their opinions about the needs of family caregivers and on how to improve the “Diapason” program.

Results. Preliminary results showed:
a) the relationship type influenced the perspective on the caregiving situation; thus, spouses and children had a different evaluation of their needs;
b) the illness stage of the patient influenced the expectancies and demands of informal caregivers concerning the web-based program
c) face-to-face contact (e.g. Videoconferencing, “Coffee for caregivers”, etc) were considered as a key aspect of the intervention; and
d) practical aspects related to caregiving such as the management of daily activities or administrative and legal information were highly appreciated by children, while spouses were more interested in obtaining a social support. Professionals underlined the importance of keeping a good communication between them and families even in distance interventions. Another point they stressed was the necessity to adopt a didactical approach (using more practice and less theory) favoring both the understanding and the use of the program.

Conclusions. Based on thematic analysis method, we distinguished different demands according to relationship (spouses and children). Even if some differences were identified, the core of suggestions and expectancies of informal caregivers and healthcare professionals converged towards the same demands.
Concerning the expectancies of caregivers about a web-based program it could be summarized in an idea: “The web-based program should propose comprehensive, didactic and practical information, which should evolve in a dynamic and secure framework. It should be accessible for all and be able to facilitate the information exchange and meetings with other caregivers.”
Furthermore, it appears that an expected website in e-health should adopt a personalization-based structure. The “user-profile system” should allow one to choose the program content, thereby enhancing the coherence with needs.